 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you're about to hear is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. Dragnet, your detective sergeant, you're assigned a juvenile detail. In the past six weeks, a junior high school has been broken into three times, and extensive damage has been done by vandals. Your job? Investigate. The documented drama of an actual crime. For the next 30 minutes, in cooperation with the Los Angeles Police Department, you will travel step by step on the side of the law through an actual case transcribed from official police files. From beginning to end, from crime to punishment, Dragnet is the story of your police force in action. It was Monday, March 9th. It was cold in Los Angeles. We were working the day watch out of juvenile detail. My partner's Frank Smith, the boss's captain powers. My name's Friday. We're on our way out from the office. It was 8.32 a.m. when we got to the hillside junior high school. The vice principal's office. Good morning. May I help you? Yes, ma'am. Police officers. We'd like to see Miss Ridley. Oh, yes. You've been here before, haven't you? That's right. Miss Ridley's expecting you. You can go right in. Thank you very much. Good morning, officers. Come in, please, and sit down. Thank you. You seem to be getting more than our share of trouble. Yes, ma'am. What is it this time? Same as before. A little more serious. Cafeteria? Yes. Wait until you see the place. Just downright vandalism. Food thrown all over on the walls and the floor. But they didn't stop there. What do you mean? The student's supply store was broken in two. In fact, that's where the entrance was made. Yeah? Girl in charge says that a number of items are missing. What was taken? Things the students use in school. Notebooks, pencils, fountain pens. I see. There were a lot of transportation books taken, too. Those are the kind of kids you use on the buses and streetcars? Yes, that's right. Well, they have serial numbers, don't they? Yes, we keep a record of them in the office. You'll be able to give us a list of the numbers on the missing books? Oh, yes. All right, fine. What if we could take a look at that storeroom? Surely. It's right next to the office. I wasn't so sure the last time, but I am now. What do you mean? About who's responsible for this. You got an idea who might have done it? Well, I'm pretty sure it must be a student or a former student. Why do you say that, Miss Ridley? Well, there's the window. They entered. Mm-hmm. Somebody must have known that this window opened under the storeroom. Well, the screen's torn here and the window's broken. You have somebody special in mind who might have done this? No. It wouldn't be fair to cast suspicion on any boy or girl without proof. Well, have you had trouble with any students since we were here last? Yes. What was wrong, ma'am? During study periods, a group of five boys were causing minor disturbances. Uh-huh. But it's all been straightened out. I had a talk with the leader of the group. Found out he wanted to take part in school athletics. His parents didn't want him to. Afraid he might be injured. Mm-hmm. So I called them in for a conference. We talked, and they finally agreed to let the boy participate in school sports. Mm-hmm. That's all there was to it. I haven't had any trouble since. How about the other boys? They weren't really bad. Without a leader, they'd just settle down. I'm sure it wasn't any of them. Mm-hmm. What if he could tell us if anything has been moved in here? No. This is just the way we found it. Mm-hmm. I wonder why they didn't mess this room up, too. I don't know. I've been teaching for 20 years, and I'm pretty sure of one thing. What's that, ma'am? Children do wrong, but not because they want to be tough or brave. Usually because they're afraid of something. Mm-hmm. Most of them are pretty frightened kids. They need help. Well, we'll buy that. The problem is, what happens to them if they don't get it? I'm afraid you know the answer to that one better than I do. They'll still be around. Yes. As frightened adults. In the cafeteria, we found conditions about the same as we had after the previous acts of vandalism at the school. The refrigerator had been ransacked, cartons of milk along with containers of ice cream and frozen foods had been smashed against the walls and the floor. The tables had been overturned and the chairs had been thrown around and broken. The floor was covered with glass. Frank put in a call to Layton Prince, and they sent a crew out to go over to the store room and the cafeteria. Miss Ridley told us that she had already notified school security. Before we left, she furnished us with a complete list of stolen articles and the serial numbers for the missing student transportation books. We returned to Georgia Street and met with Captain Powers. You're pretty sure it's Juveniles? Yeah, the kind of stuff it was taken. The damage done sure points that way. Any help for Miss Ridley? Yeah, but she couldn't give us any names. No teacher pupil problems. Yeah, she mentioned a minor case, which said had been cleared up. This is the third time in six weeks for the school, isn't it? Yeah. Kids don't usually travel very far for these deals. It's a good chance at some of them from the school. Well, now the way it looks, if they try to peddle of stuff to the other kids, we might be able to get a lead on them. There's a hitch to that, though. What do you mean? Well, Miss Ridley said that she was going to make an announcement to the student body. Yeah. She's going to tell them to be on the lookout for the stolen articles. Kids that took the stuff from the school, they might lay low for a while. That's it. How much was taken? About $500 for the school supplies. A pretty good haul. Yeah. What do you want to do about it? Well, if it's all right with you, Frank and I'd like to put a stake out on the school. All right, when? We know the janitors work into the early morning hours on Fridays. Yeah. So it figures the school must be broken into some time on Saturday or Sunday. All right, when do you want to start? This coming weekend. Okay, I'll arrange a clearance for you with school security. All right. Any more help you need, let me know. Wherever it did, it must have something against the cafeteria. Place was a real mess. Yeah. Bad enough the first couple of times. Didn't leave anything in the freezer this trip. Sure doesn't make much sense. I don't know. Maybe it does. What? Each time they hit the cafeteria, right? Yeah, that's right. They didn't tear up the storeroom. They threw a few pencil boxes around. That's about all. Yes, but every time food has been destroyed. That's right. Well, we got a reason for doing it. Yeah. Somebody that can't resist the urge to eat all the time doesn't like being overweight. So without knowing why they do it, they destroy food. Mm-hmm. It could be a part of it anyhow. It's only a theory, but it might hold water. Yeah, well, that's true. But we don't know if it's a gang we're after or just one person. Another thing, they've broken in three times. Might have been by different kids. Good questions, all of them. Yeah. That's why you get paid to get the answers. We kept in contact with Miss Ridley during the rest of the week. But as far as she knew, none of the stolen articles showed up. Captain Powers talked with the school security section of the Board of Education and Frank and I staked out in the school on Saturday and Sunday. There was no disturbance. We went back the following weekend. Saturday passed without trouble. Sunday, 7.34 p.m., we were sitting in the Vice Principal's office. Frank, yeah. Come on. Right. All right, son. Come on. Party's over. What? Come on. Come on. Let me go. Let me go. All right. Take it easy, boy. Now, take it easy. This isn't going to help. Just hold still. What's your name? Jerry. What's your last name? Beckel. You've done this before? Come on, son. Answer me. All right. Let's go. You going to put me in jail? We'll see. I'm not afraid of you cops. There's no reason you should be. Why'd you throw all this food around? I don't know. You haven't got a reason? No. She went to a lot of trouble to catch me. Not too much, son. Huh? You made it easy. Before leaving the school, Frank called school security and notified them of the broken window and the damage done by Jerry Beckel. We drove back to Georgia Street to question the subject further. On the way down, he refused to say anything. At the office, he told us he lived at 1206 Walnut Street. Frank went to check Central Juvenile Index. 842 p.m. That's all. Not going to tell you anymore. Now, let's get one thing straight, son. You're in trouble. We'd like to help you, but you've got to play ball with us. We'll level with you, but you've got to play it the same way. Now, do you understand? Yeah. All right. Now, we can't do anything for you unless you want us to. Unless we know why you do these things, it'll be pretty hard for you to find a way out. Is that clear? Yes, sir. The only way we can find out is if you tell us the truth. Joe. Yeah? The boy has no previous record. Mm-hmm. All right, how about it? You ready to answer our questions now, son? Sure. But it won't do any good. Why do you say that? Can't change my looks, can you? Well, why? There's no reason to do that. You look healthy to me. Sure, I'm healthy. I'm fat and ugly, too. That's why I had to trouble with Miss Ridley. Well, I suppose you tell us about it. She kicked me out of school. Why? What were you fighting with? Different guys. Why'd you fight? Called me names. All right, go ahead. This is my fault. I can't help how I look. You sure that's why you had the fights? It wouldn't let me alone. Suppose you think I'm real good-looking, huh? Son, I told you we'd level with you. You're not a ugly kid. Now, it seems to me you're imagining a lot. Sure. I suppose they called me Lard Bell and Witchman because they imagined it, too. Maybe they got another reason. Like what? To needle you. If you didn't let them know it bothered you, they probably wouldn't have kept it up. They called your names to get you into fights. Don't you think that's it? That's what you say. Well, that's what we believe. She didn't have to kick me out of school. How many fights you have, Jack? I don't know. Well, you must have some idea. Quite a few. Miss Ridley talked to you? Yeah. She gave you more than one chance, didn't she? Yeah. But the kids kept after me. Wouldn't let me alone. You don't like Miss Ridley, do you? Why should I? Is that why you broke into the school? Maybe. How many times do you go in? Three. Did you steal the things from the storeroom? Yeah. Where are they? Oh. You live with your father and mother? Yeah. Any brothers or sisters? Two brothers, three sisters. Well, now when you had the trouble at school, did Miss Ridley talk to your parents? No. She didn't get in touch with them at all, huh? Sure, she tried, but they didn't go in to see her. Is there any reason why they didn't? No, it just didn't go, I saw. Well, I guess we better go out and have a talk with them this time. Why? Well, I'll have to know about this trouble that you're in. Maybe if we talk to him, we can sort of work this problem out together, don't you think? That won't do any good. Why not, son? I think I'm fat and ugly. Jerry Beckel went on to say that he was now attending the Janssen School, one of two maintained in the city for juveniles who have difficulty making adjustments in normal school life. He also told us that on all three occasions, he had been alone when he broke into the Hillside School. We drove out to his home. It was a small frame house, badly in need of repair. We met his father, Henry Beckel. He told him the reason for our visit. So you just can't stay out of trouble. First, he's fighting and you get kicked out of school. Now this mess, what's the matter with you anyhow? I don't know, Dad. Excuse me, Mr. Beckel, but this kind of talk isn't going to get us anywhere. Your son has a definite problem and he needs help. Sure, he's got a problem. He's no good, never has been, never will be. You want to take the boy outside? Sure. Come on, son. I suppose you're going to give me the answers. You sound like you think it's my fault he got into this trouble. Well, you might have helped keep him out of it. I found all day a night slap his wrist when he steps out of line. You were asked to go over to his school when he had trouble before. Why didn't you go? I didn't have the time. I got to worry about five other kids. They got to eat. Can't be taking time away from work just because one of them can't keep his nose clean. What about your wife? What do you mean? Well, couldn't she have gone over to the school? Why didn't you ask her? Is she here now? Nope. She's gone out, probably at a movie. So she has to have some fun so she leaves me with the kids. Is there any reason why she couldn't go and talk with Miss Ridley about your son, Jerry? She figured it was his own problem. Says he has to learn to fight his own battles. Well, that's fine when you know what you're fighting. Your boy doesn't. There's nothing to matter with him. That's where you're wrong. Your son has an inferiority complex about his looks. Oh, big deal. That's one of the things that's wrong with him. You're trying to tell me he gets into trouble because of the way he feels about his looks? It's possible. That's a good part of it. You gonna have to go to jail? I'm afraid he will. Don't you put kids on probation sometimes, let the parents look after them? Yeah, when they have parents. Well, couldn't she do that for Jerry? If you could show the authorities that you'd be responsible for them, it might work out. I could do that. There's something more you gotta do. Hmm? Find time to talk to them. We took the subject along with the recovered stolen property back to Georgia Street. The next day, Miss Ridley came down and identified the articles as those taken from the school's storeroom. She said that Jerry Beckal had been in numerous fights before he was dismissed from school. During her investigation of the disorder, she found that Beckal had provoked several of the fights. She went on to say that the subject had been a below-average student showing little interest in academic work. A petition was filed on Beckal's behalf with the juvenile court. The petition was sustained and he was placed on probation with the Los Angeles County Probation Department and allowed to remain in the custody of his parents. March 31st, 806 A.M. I just picked up the reports for yesterday. You wanna check them over? Yeah, all right. Thanks. I saw the skipper on the way in. You remember that Austin boy? Car thief, wasn't he? Yeah, he violated his probation. Picked up again last night. Oh, that's too bad. What was that kid's name on the hillside school case? That heavy-set boy? Mmm, one that thought he was so ugly. Yeah, that's the one. Beckal or something. Yeah. What about him? Well, look here. The description on this report fits him. Listen to this. Victim states the subject said to her, what are you smiling for because I'm so ugly? It might be. What's the charge? Pretty bad this time. Yeah. Attempted robbery and shooting. You are listening to Dragnet, the authentic story of your police force in action. The robbery and shooting had occurred the previous night about 7.30 p.m. We checked with the George Street receiving hospital and we found the victim, Linda Cotterly, had been treated for a minor flesh wound in the leg. She'd been shot with a .22 caliber pistol. The hospital report showed that she'd been released and allowed to return home. We contacted the officers working the case and checked the reports that had been filed. We asked if we could talk to the victim. Frank and I drove out to the address and we were admitted by her sister. Linda Cotterly was lying on a couch in the front room. We identified ourselves and asked her if she'd mind going over the story for us. I told the other officers all about it. Yes, we understand that. We saw their report but we'd appreciate you're telling us just what happened. Well, guess I won't do no harm. Suppose if more of you know about it, you'll have a better chance to catch a little stinker. That's right, ma'am. I shouldn't have said that. Ma'am. A little stinker. He was a big stinker. Oh, yeah. Could have killed me. Gives me cold chills thinking about it. We can understand. I wonder if you'd do something for me. Yes, ma'am. What's that? There's an afghan on the sewing machine in the dining room. Would you get it for me? Sure. Thank you. What if you'd tell us the story? Sure. Well, you know I was shot in the leg right here. Yes, we know. First I thought it was just some kid playing a joke. Here you are, ma'am. Oh, thank you, Mr. Smith. Would you just drape it over me? Gently now. All right. That's fine. Thank you. Yes, ma'am. You said you thought it was a joke when this boy tried to hold you up. He was so young-looking. Couldn't have been more than 15 or 16. Yeah. He was sort of chubby. Didn't look mean at all. I guess I should have been scared, but I wasn't. I just smiled. Did he say anything when he approached you? Bought it being a hold-up, you mean? That's right. No, came up to me. He had a gun in his hand. That's when you smiled. That's right. Then what happened? He got real mad look on his face. Made him look tough. Is that when he spoke to you? How'd you know? I was in the report. Well, that's right. I'd forgotten. Well, then I guess I can skip the part about what he said. We'd like to hear his exact words if you can remember him. He said, what are you smiling for, because I'm so ugly? Mm-hmm. Did you get a good look at him? Yes, no. How do you mean that? Well, I did see him, but I don't remember his face too well. I know he was young. Not too good-looking, but it's hard to say just what he did look like. You think you'd know him if you ever saw him again? I might. It was pretty dark. I'm not sure. All right. What happened after he spoke to you? I said no, meaning I didn't think he was ugly. And they told me to give him my purse. That's when it happened. What was that, then? Well, I got scared. I knew he wasn't fooling. I screamed and started running. Then I heard the noise, gunfire. All right, go ahead. Then I felt a sting on my leg when the bullet hit me. Kept on running, went past a vacant lot. Kept screaming, and then I saw a man across the street open his front door and look out. I ran up to him, told him I'd been shot, and he called the police. Well, when you said this person was chubby, did you mean he was fat? Well, he was kind of big around the middle, and his face was sort of round like. How about his hair? Was it dark? Yeah. Did you notice if it was straight or wavy? No. Tell me, you got idea who this kid was? Well, we're not sure. Well, I know one thing. What's that? That kid should be taught a lesson. Only one thing to do with them when they're that rotten. Slap them around a little and just forget about them. Well, that's the trouble here. That's what they did to this boy. Frank and I went back to the office and checked the records on the petition, and we found that the subject's father, Henry Beckel, was employed at a lumber yard. We drove down to the place and found him stacking lumber in the back lot. What's on your mind this time? How's Jerry been getting along? All right, I guess. Tending school regularly? As far as I know, haven't had any bad reports. What's he been doing nights? He stays in the house. Goes out once in a while, never too late. Why? Where was he Monday night? Home. All night? Yeah. How about Tuesday? After supper, he went out for a while, came in early. Why? How's your son been acting lately? What do you mean? Has he had any trouble at school? I told you, I haven't had any bad reports from him. How about at home? No trouble. We're trying to help him. Well, as far as you know, he's been in pretty good spirits. Is that right? Look, you know he's no ball of fire, but he seems to be happy, you know? Uh-huh. What is all this, anyway? We're just checking something out. Well, the way you ask questions, it sounds like you think Jerry's in trouble again. No, we didn't say that. Well, you don't have to. I know what you're getting at, and I don't like it. No reason to get upset. You're right. How would you feel Jerry's been released to my custody? You're as much as telling me I haven't been doing the right thing. Well, if you're sure of that in your own mind, you don't have anything to worry about, do you? Well, I've done what I can, but I can't watch him all the time. What's he supposed to have done this time? We're not sure he's done anything. He wouldn't be nosing around if he didn't have some reason. Just something we gotta check. All right. But if he got off on the wrong foot again, don't try to pin any tails on me. I've been doing the right thing, but I don't mind telling you, I've never been too sure he would straighten out. Is that right? Yeah. But I'm doing what I can for him. Yeah? I feed him, I put clothes on his back, I put a roof over his head. What more can I give him? You own a gun, Mr. Beckel? What? I said you own a gun. Yeah, why? What kind? Twenty-two pistol. We drove over to the Jantson School and we talked to the principal. We explained to our business and he told us that Jerry Beckel hadn't been in school all day. We drove out to the boy's home. We met his mother. She said he wasn't there, but he'd probably be home about five o'clock. We went back to the car and waited. At 4.30 p.m., Henry Beckel returned from work. He drove into the yard and we met him at the back door. So you're here again? That's right. Let's go in the house, Beckel. If you want it. Go ahead. You want to tell me what this is all about now? We'd like to talk to Jerry first. Well, if you want to see him, why didn't you go over to his school? We did. He wasn't there today. Kids up to his old tricks again. Oh, they found you. This is my wife. We've met. What's the trouble? Jerry again. He wasn't in school today. Is that all? We should get out of the kitchen so I could fix supper. Yeah. You guys want to come on into the other room? All right. While we're waiting for your son, I wonder if you get that gun for us? I don't know why I should. You've got no choice, fella. It's in the closet. You said that before. Now, where is it? Over there. Where? It's in that box, a small flat one. This one here? Yeah. When's the last time you fired this? I don't know. It's been quite a while. What do you think? It smells like it was fired recently. What time does Jerry usually get home, Beckel? We eat at 5.30. He'll be here by then. Uh-huh. You don't have to worry about him not showing up. He might skip school, but that fat lazy slob won't miss a meal. He eats twice as much as the other kids. No wonder he looks like he does. Let's go. Right. Hi, son. Hi. What do you want? Fred, we're gonna have to take you with us. Can he eat first? It won't hurt him any to miss a meal. Look at him. Looks like a fat toad. Well, why don't you say so? All right. Doesn't make any difference. You'd like to be rid of me anyway. Take it easy, son. You all want to hear it okay? I'll tell you. I shot her. We took Jerry Beckel down to Georgia Street for further questioning. After the outbreak at his home, he quieted down and refused to say anything more. We talked to him for an hour, and he finally admitted the whole story. All right, son. Why'd you take the gun? To get some money, I guess. Well, now, is that the only way you could get it? I don't know. You could have gotten a job. I tried to. Yeah? Nobody wanted me. Well, how many people you ask for work? Just one place. And then you gave up? That was enough. I knew I wouldn't get a job. Did they tell you they wouldn't give you a work? Didn't have to. I knew just the way they looked at me. Did you ever ask your father for money? Yeah. Never gave me any. He just read me off. What'd he say to you? What he always does, I'm fat and lazy. Not good for anything, but put my feet under the table and eat. So you decided to get out and rob somebody, huh? Yeah. Why'd you shoot at the woman? I'm not sure. Well, she didn't do you any harm, did she? No. She made me mad, laughed at me, just like all the rest. She didn't, huh? Sure. Because I'm fat. Did she say that? No. I could tell what she was thinking. You could, huh? People shouldn't laugh at somebody just because they're fat. Yeah. They got no right to do that. Maybe. But how much did you have? Huh? When you shot her. The story you have just heard is true. The names were changed to protect the innocent. On July 14th, trial was held in Department 98, Superior Court of the State of California in and for the county of Los Angeles. In a moment, the results of that trial. Jerome Howard Beckel was remanded to the juvenile authorities and placed in a foster home where he was assured of 24-hour supervision. One of the conditions of his probation was that he received psychiatric aid by a doctor appointed by the court. You have just heard dragnet, a series of authentic cases from official files. Technical advice comes from the Office of Chief of Police W.H. Parker, Los Angeles Police Department.